“The Dental School Experience” Webinar Feb. 19, 2014 Questions & Answers Below are the list of questions that were submitted during the webinar. The questions are broken down by the categories: Foreign-­‐Trained Dentists/International Students; Applications/Admissions; Shadow/Volunteer Activities; and Dental School. The responses from the panelists are in red. For more information on dental school, visit www.ASDAnet.org/predental. FOREIGN-­‐TRAINED DENTISTS/INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS Getting into a U.S. Dental School: Each dental school sets their own criteria for entrance, so it is best to select a dental school where you hope to be admitted and work with them to meet their criteria. The Centralized Application for Advanced Placement for International Dentists (CAAPID) is administered through the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). This allows a foreign-­‐trained dentist to complete his/her education in an accredited program and therefore be eligible for licensure when he/she graduates. More info here: www.adea.org/dental_education_pathways/CAAPID/Pages/default.aspx or caapid@adea.org or 202-­‐
289-­‐7201. Licensure: The website www.ASDAnet.org/tips-­‐for-­‐international-­‐dental-­‐students will give you an overview of the process. A more substantial booklet is available: “The ADA Practical Guide for International Dentists: The State Licensure Process.” To purchase this booklet, visit the ADA’s website: www.ada.org/490.aspx. Licensure within the United States is strictly on a “state-­‐by-­‐state” basis. Each state determines their own licensure laws. It is best to learn the licensure requirements of the state in which you hope to practice. Here is a list of state dental boards and their contact information: http://new.dentalboards.org/states/index.htm. The state of Minnesota will allow foreign trained dentists to practice without repeating additional education. Applicants are reviewed on a case by case basis. All other states require international dental graduates to repeat their education in an accredited US dental school. Here is the list of accredited dental schools: www.ada.org/267.aspx. A few states, including Illinois, may accept completion of an advanced or specialty education program such as oral and maxillofacial surgery instead of the two years at the predoctoral level. CE Credits: CE courses and dental school courses are completely separate. CE courses have many benefits and are required to maintain an existing U.S. license, but they do not necessarily help you get a license. U.S. Evaluation of Credentials: You must have official dental school transcripts verified by Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE). ECE prepares evaluation reports that identify U.S. equivalents of educational qualifications earned in other countries. Here is their contact info: Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. P.O. Box 514070 Milwaukee, WI 53202-­‐3470 Phone 414.289.3400 www.ece.org The questions below were answered by admissions staff at the University of Illinois-­‐Chicago College of Dentistry.  How can I increase my chance of getting into a US dental school as a foreign trained dentist? The UIC College of Dentistry Office of Admissions has compiled a list of suggestions to further enhance a student’s application. This list includes: o Preparing to take National Boards Part II. National Boards Part II is not required for admission at UIC, but it should be noted that about two-­‐thirds of the applicants have taken and passed the exam. Additionally, we strongly encourage students to enroll in a formal review course. o Improving verbal communication of the English language by taking a comprehensive English language course, and/or studying basic didactic and clinical knowledge of dentistry. o It is imperative that you work/observe/shadow in a U.S. dental office. Our committee values international and U.S. dental/dental assisting work experience. Additionally, keep current with the dental field: Staying informed about changes or advancement in dentistry demonstrates you are well-­‐educated about this field. o Taking upper-­‐level science courses or enrolling in a science-­‐based Master’s program in the U.S. This will help you sharpen your study skills as it may have been a while since you have been in a classroom setting. Furthermore, it will provide you with the opportunity to experience the U.S. teaching style. o Enhancing your leadership, diversity exposure, community service and volunteer experiences: UIC encourages applicants to be exposed to community service especially in underserved areas. This can include abroad experiences. o Gain exposure to research: While this is not required, additional knowledge in the science field further enhances a student’s understanding of advancements in the field. Research does not have to be in dentistry/oral health, but is preferred.  Foreign trained dentists have to undergo a Bench test exam prior to their acceptance. Are there opportunities to prepare for the Bench Test? UIC does not require a bench test. Some schools and private programs offer bench test preparation courses. Many students have told me that they can also order a preparation kit and are able to practice at home.  How many years of prior work experience in one's home country is considered competitive among foreign trained dentists to get into US dental schools? Foreign trained dentists have a range of years of experience in their home country. Some universities prefer candidates that practiced dentistry in their home country. At UIC, we realize that not all applicants had the opportunity to practice in their home country. At UIC our curriculum allows students to enter as D2’s to enhance their pre-­‐clinical skills. Our program is 2 years and they transition to patient care in the second year. For admission to UIC, it is extremely important that a candidate work in the dental field in the U.S. The majority of foreign trained dentists are able to work as dental assistants—that is great experience as it allows them to remain current with the dental field and with procedures. Other applicants choose to enroll in a U.S. hygiene program and after completion of the program practice as hygienists. Some states allow foreign trained dentists to take the hygiene licensing exam and if they pass it they can practice hygiene. 
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How does it look to be an ESL international student who did well in all sections of the DAT except for the comprehension section? UIC does not require that students take the DAT. Beyond enrolling in English as a Second Language courses, we encourage our applicants to take English courses at the community college level. We rely on TOEFL scores to assess a candidate’s English language proficiency. In addition, many of our applicants have earned Master’s or dental hygiene degrees. Are taking CE classes advantageous for foreign trained dentists applying? Yes, any continuing education is essential. It is extremely important that the candidate continue to demonstrate their constant contact with the field of Dentistry. How do dental schools look at credits transferred from a foreign country? Does the number of credits mean anything? At UIC we require the ECE course by course evaluation, we review the classes that the student has taken and the grade that they earned. Does your application look better if you are an international applicant with your bachelor earned abroad but all prerequisite courses passed in the US? I think this question is primarily for those programs that require foreign trained dentists to apply to a 4-­‐year DMD program. UIC does not require that foreign trained dentists apply to a traditional 4-­‐year program as we have the 2 year IDDP. A student that has completed the dental school prerequisites at a U.S. university will have an advantage over a student that completed them abroad. It will be important for admissions staff and faculty to see that a student has taken upper level science courses in the U.S. and has done well. APPLICATION/ADMISSIONS  Is it acceptable to take prerequisites after submission of the application but before matriculating to dental school? Yes  Who do you suggest getting letters of recommendations from? It is best to get letters of evaluation from individuals who know you well enough to share information about your traits, skills and attributes.  Do you think meeting with the dean of admissions throughout your undergrad will benefit you when applying to dental school? Certainly meeting the dean of admissions won’t hurt, but numerous meetings could be perceived as bothersome.  Can I find out why my application was denied? I think it’s important in these days of a huge applicant pool to realize that there are a lot of qualified people who don’t get in. The first place to look about what to improve is within. Be your own toughest critic and ask yourself “What can I make better?” Typically, it’s about positioning yourself to better place in the long line of applicants.  Is it viewed negatively on my dental school application to complete dental hygiene school? Not necessarily. I don’t recommend going to DH school as a pathway to dental school, but there is nothing negative about a practicing dental hygienist wanting to advance their scope of practice within this great profession by attending to the DDS/DMD degree.  If my GPA is not competitive, would you recommend getting a bachelor's in dental hygiene first? No…see above. Depending on your circumstances, most schools would be looking for post-­‐
baccalaureate or Master’s Degree coursework.  Is it advantageous to get a minor in something outside of science related fields? Follow your passion and curiosity in determining your minor.  Does it look bad to attend a post-­‐bac program or can it strengthen my application? It does not look bad and it can assist in building a stronger application.  How do dental schools view taking a year off? Taking a year off for what? If it’s a year off for self-­‐improvement and personal growth, it can be positive. If it’s a year off to simply play, it can be a negative. 
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What was the most important thing that got you noticed and selected for dental school? Honestly, I wouldn’t say there is one specific thing that got me noticed. The beauty of the holistic application process is that schools really do look at every part of your resume. Having a strong personal statement, being involved in extracurricular activities, and shadowing experience all make you a more competitive applicant. I think the thing that made me stand out the most was my involvement with ASDA. Showing schools that you understand the importance of organized dentistry as a predental student prove you understand what is happening in the dental world and are serious about being involved in your future profession. How likely is it that a state school outside of your residency will accept you? State schools that accept non-­‐residents generally only accept a small percentage of those individuals, so not a high likelihood. I would recommend that you look at the ADEA Official Guide to Dental School. You can see which schools admit high numbers of non-­‐resident applicants. How heavy of a course load should I be taking each semester in undergrad? 15-­‐18 SCH would be a pretty good number. Dental school has been equated to taking about a 26-­‐28 hour load. Start “conditioning” your brain a bit! I didn't get in the first year I applied, what should I be doing during the year? Hopefully you were doing something during the unsuccessful application year to make yourself a better candidate. If not, you will be scrambling to present yourself much differently during the next cycle. You need to determine where the areas are where you can improve and get to work. When touring a dental school, what main things should I look for to see if it is a good fit? “Fit” is an individual decision…it’s about what is important to you in your educational and personal environments. You actually won’t usually have to look for the fit…you’ll feel it! What are helpful study materials or prep courses you chose to prepare for the DAT? Are there any materials that you did not find helpful or misled your studying? Kaplan Blue Book is a great place to start your studies as it proficiently overviews what to expect from on the test and summarizes each of the sections. Chad’s Videos are the absolute best way to relearn general chemistry, organic chemistry and quantitative reasoning. That resource paired with DAT Destroyer, Math Destroyer and the Organic Chemistry Odyssey (if you need a lot of O. Chem practice) are the must-­‐haves. If time permits I recommend working through the DAT Destroyer and Math Destroyer more than once and also suggest that you time yourself while doing practice tests for quantitative reasoning. As far as the biology section goes, I recommend using any of the study guides made for AP Biology as they cover the same topics you will see on the test. Crack the DAT is best for the PAT section. It provides AMAZING tutorials on each of the six subsections for PAT and has a ton of practice tests. I have heard it is also a great representation of the reading comprehension section. TopScore is a great resource to take full length tests and I felt it was pretty spot on with the natural science questions. Achiever is much harder than the actual test, but if you are up for a challenge and don’t mind a hit to your ego, extra practice questions never hurts! When is the best time to take the DAT? Spring or early summer (early June to mid-­‐July) of the year preceding anticipated enrollment. Should an applicant mention a specialty they are considering in an interview? I think it’s OK to mention, but don’t dwell on it. Does it look bad to apply to many schools if asked in an interview? Looks more expensive than it looks bad! You should certainly have a rationale for applying to the “many” dental schools other than “increasing my odds.” Dental school application should be based upon researching the schools and an anticipated fit. What are good questions to ask the admissions representative after an interview? Some great, non-­‐school specific questions would be “Why did you decide to work here,” “What is your favorite thing about working here,” or “What do you like least about working here,” and “After 
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getting to know me a little and looking over my resume, do you feel I would be a good fit at this school?” What was the hardest question you were asked at the interview? Believe it or not, but the question “Tell me about yourself” is always the hardest question for me. I never know where to start, what about myself they might be looking for, and nervous about talking about my own achievements. Be confident and be yourself. Write down the key points to your life, whether it’s your strengths and weaknesses, mountains you’ve overcome, or experiences in school. Is it looked at differently to graduate from a small university over a more prestigious school? We attempt to balance that out with the DAT performance. For example, we would not penalize someone with a 3.8 and a 23 DAT from a small school. SHADOW/VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES  How do I get involved in working on research projects? Seek them out via interaction with your teaching faculty. Contact your pre-­‐health advisor, research department or professor to find out more information about research. If they are not currently conducting research, they will be able to point you in the right direction.  Do you think scientific research has a significant impact on an application? Research is a piece of the evaluation puzzle. I would say the two most impacting non-­‐cognitive criteria are knowledge of the profession and a history of service. I think research has a great impact on your application! Research, especially as an undergraduate, shows the dental school that you are interested in education beyond the classroom. The dental schools I applied to expressed that they were impressed when applicants had some involvement in research.  Do admissions committees look more highly at a student who writes a research thesis compared to one who performs research but does not write a thesis? There is no comparison to be made. Understand that there is a holistic evaluation of candidates, and in that context, all of a candidates traits, characteristics, activities, etc. are rolled up in a big package. The committees then compare the “big packages” and not whether one person had a thesis and another did not. I conducted research as an undergraduate student but did not write a thesis. I have never been asked about whether or not I wrote a thesis.  Is there a website or other resource to help find a dentist to shadow? Can you explain the shadowing process in detail? Start with your family dentist or local dental society. I have never used a website for finding a dentist to shadow; however, my predental club provided a shadowing program for its members. If your predental club does not have relationships with dentists to shadow or a current shadowing program, consider starting one. Grab a phonebook, contact dentists in the area of your school or home and tell them you are a future or current dental school applicant interested in shadowing. I don’t know of many dentists that would turn away a student from shadowing their office. If they do not providing any shadowing, they might be able to point you in the direction of another dentist that might.  As a pediatric dental assistant would you suggest working in general dentistry to get more exposure before applying to dental school? I would certainly recommend some experiences in a general dentist office, but you wouldn’t necessarily have to change jobs. From my experience applying to dental school, I have been told that any shadowing is welcomed on your application. Shadowing is important for them to see that you have experienced some dentistry first hand and showed interest in it for a future career.  Should one work in dental clinic to gain experience and chances of being accepted? Do I need a certificate or training in order to work for dentist? One can work in an office to gain experience and knowledge, to satisfy a passion and certainly to earn wages as well. You will definitely require some training! It is not required for you to work in a dental clinic to be accepted to dental school. Dental schools understand that you are a student and working in a clinic is not easy when you are enrolled in classes during the day—that is why shadowing is suggested. A 
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certificate or training is not required to work for all dentists. Some dentists train their assistants in office. Is it critical to participate in school activities if you already do volunteer work? It’s about balance in your life and fulfilling your passions. See item above regarding holistic evaluation and the “big package.” While dental schools are looking for “well-­‐rounded” applicants, it is not required that you show experience in every area of the application. Don’t sacrifice one aspect of your volunteer work or passions to participate in school activities if that is not your interest. Dental schools are looking for continuous involvement and dedication to whatever you apply yourself. Will a non-­‐dental job negatively affect your application even if you volunteer and shadow? No. All work experience is welcomed on your application. Dental schools need to know what you did with your time while you were in or out of school. Whether you worked in a dental office or sold tickets at sporting events (like me), put it on your application! How important is studying abroad for your application? It’s a piece of the “big package.” Studying abroad is not required when applying to dental school. Not all students can afford to travel or study abroad. While that might be something interesting to put on your application if you did it, it will not hinder your application if you did not. For example, I was never able to study abroad because I had a job during my summer and winter breaks. Does it matter what type of community service you do? Any service is good service! Preferably community activities that involve serving people and interacting with people. Show the dental schools that you have committed yourself to providing service to the community, no matter what it is. Also, they are interested in service projects that are continuing efforts instead of only one-­‐time events. How does the dental pipeline program offered at some dental schools work? You will need to contact the school where they offer the program to find out the specifics. Is it recommended to shadow at community health centers if interested in serving low income communities? I think it would be great if everyone could have some experience in CHC’s! If you are interested in low-­‐income community service, then you might consider shadowing or doing service in these areas! It is not required to do shadowing in where you see your future profession, but all service is welcomed! Should I shadow other dentists if I’m already working as a dental assistant? At least expose yourself to other practices or types of practices. If you are working as an assistant for a specialist, you might consider shadowing other specialties or general dentistry. Is being involved in Greek Life on campus (fraternity/sorority) viewed poorly? Participation in itself is not viewed poorly. Poor decisions made due to involvement in Greek Life is viewed poorly. If your Greek Like provides you the opportunity to participate in school events, activities, sports or community service, then this is a great source for application topics! Greek Life is not frowned upon; however, if the only aspect of Greek Life you have ventured into are social functions, you might consider putting other activities and involvement on your application but mention that you were a member. Also, leadership positions in Greek Life are great application points. Is it better to have a leadership position in health science related fields or another field to show other interests? See holistic evaluation and “big package” question above. Any leadership is good leadership! Gaining leadership skills can be found in any field and is welcomed on the dental school application. Whether you were the President of the science club or a captain of a cheerleading squad, let them know you were a leader, what responsibilities were involved and what skills you gained from holding that position. DENTAL SCHOOL  Do dental schools require you to find your own patients for the licensure exam, or do some provide you with the patients needed? At University of Texas School of Dentistry (UTSD), we do not provide the patients for the licensure exam. Patients come to our school through our assessment clinic and are then assigned to students. It is our responsibility to screen our patients for the requirements needed for our licensure exams. If you are having a problem finding a particular patient, then the faculty is happy to help in your search.  Do dental schools use the pass/fail scoring system? Some do, most don’t. However, the National Boards Dental Exam is taken by students at all dental schools in the U.S. and is now a pass/fail exam.  What do dental students study in the first and second year of the dental school? First Year at UTSD: Neurosciences, Biomedical Science Core, Oral Biology, Head and Neck Anatomy, Human Biology, Oral Biology II, Clinical Applications I, Clinical Applications II, Principles of Pharmacology, Local Anesthesia, Dental Anatomy I, Dental Anatomy Lab I, Dental Anatomy Lab II, Occlusion, Operative Dentistry I, Ethics in Dentistry, Foundational Skills for Clinic I, Foundational Skills for Clinic II, Biomaterials I, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology I, Introduction to Clinic, Perio I:Diagnosis & Treatment Planning, Basic & Applied Nutrition, Prevention of Oral Diseases, Introduction to Dental Informatics Second Year at UTSD: Dental Therapeutics, Operative Dentistry II, Pathobiology, Oral Diseases, Endo I: Principles of Endodontics, Perio II: Nonsurgical Perio Therapy, OMFS I: Precl Oral & Maxillofacial Surg, Essentials of Medicine, Fixed Prosthodontics, Indirect Single Unit Restoration, Removable Prosthodontics I, Removable Prosthodontics II, Implantology, Behavioral Context-­‐Dent Patient Mgmt, Growth & Development, Pediatric Dentistry I, Pediatric Dentistry II, Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences, CLINIC: Second Year Fall Clinic, Second Year Spring/Summer Clinic  What are some good ways to improve and display your dexterity for hand-­‐eye coordination? Taking courses such as soap carving, waxing, and operative at local dental labs or dental schools are a great way to practice your dexterity and hand-­‐eye coordination. Contact local dental labs or dental schools to inquire about programs they might provide predental students.  How different is dental school from your undergraduate experience? BUSY! Dental school progresses, in my opinion, at a much faster pace. You can imagine that the course load in dental school is equivalent to about 30 hours of undergraduate classes. You are in class and lab from 8am-­‐5pm Monday through Friday. However, I enjoy the course work I am doing in dental school more than undergraduate because they are courses I’m interested in and will apply for my future career. You may have less time during dental school to participate in extra-­‐curricular activities, but whatever your passions are, you will make time them!  What is the average yearly income and debt amount for new dentists? According to ADEA, average annual income is $214,070 and average debt is $221,000. More information in salary can be found at http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/Career/1/Dentist and more information in debt can be found at http://asdanet.org/debt.aspx.  What advice would you give in regards to dealing with dental school debt in regards to out of state tuition? Borrow “smart”…only borrow for your actual needs and forget about things you simply want.  How do you think healthcare reform will impact dentistry? More information on how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) affects dentistry can be found at www.ASDAnet.org/affordable-­‐care-­‐
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What was your most surprising experience in dental school? What do you wish someone told you before entering dental school? My most surprising experience was waxing on the first day of school! I had taken a waxing course before I applied to dental school but I wasn’t prepared for the projects so quickly. I was scared at first because I didn’t feel ready to re-­‐create the anatomy of teeth, but after some classes and encouragement from faculty, it was fine. Also, the heavy course load comes at you fast, but you will quickly get used to the amount of classes and exams. It all becomes the “dental school norm.” Instead of taking easy 12 hour semesters, challenge yourself to 15 or 18 hours, if you can to prepare for dental school.